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How to travel between Tokyo and Sado Island
Sado Island lies about 50 km off the coast of Niigata Prefecture. The island can be accessed via three port towns. Ryotsu is the main port with connections to Niigata City, while the small port towns of Ogi and Akadomari along the island's southern coast have connections to Naoetsu and Teradomari respectively.
Flights between Niigata and Sado were discontinued on October 1, 2008.
Via Niigata to Ryotsu:
From Tokyo, take the JR Joetsu Shinkansen to Niigata Station (2 hours, 10,000 yen, covered by Japan Rail Pass). Alternatively, daytime and overnight highway buses make the one way trip from Tokyo to Niigata in about 5.5 hours and for 5,250 yen (discount buses from 3,500 yen).
From Niigata, Sado Kisen operates car ferries (5 per day) and high speed jetfoils (4-13 per day depending on the season) to Ryotsu on Sado Island. The one way journey by car ferry takes 2.5 hours and costs 2,440 yen per person and around 17,500 yen for an average sized car. By jetfoil it takes one hour and costs 6,340 yen.
Via Naoetsu to Ogi:
From Tokyo, take the JR Joetsu Shinkansen and Hakutaka limited express via Echigo-Yuzawa to Naoetsu Station (2.5 hours, 9,000 yen, note that the Hakutaka is not covered by the Japan Rail Pass). Alternatively, highway buses make the one way trip from Tokyo to Naoetsu Station in about 5.5 hours and for 5,250 yen.
From Naoetsu, Sado Kisen operates one to three car ferries per day to Ogi on Sado Island. The one way journey takes 2.5 hours and costs 2,650 yen per person and about 19,000 yen for an average size car.
Via Teradomari to Akadomari:
From Tokyo, take the JR Joetsu Shinkansen to Nagaoka (105 min, 8,500 yen, covered by the Japan Rail Pass), from where a bus departs once an hour to the Teradomari Ferry Terminal (70 minutes, 730 yen).
From Teradomari, Sado Kisen operates one to three high speed boats per day to Akadomari on Sado Island. The one way journey takes one hour and costs 2,880 yen. The boats do not transport cars.
Orientation:
Sado Island is made up of two mountain ranges: the Osado Mountains (Large Sado Mountains) on the northern half of the island and the Kosado Mountains (Small Sado Mountains) on the southern half. Between the two ranges lies the Kuninaka Plain and Ryotsu Town, the largest town on the island.
If you want to visit various places across Sado Island, a rental car is the most convenient way for getting around. Most rental car outlets are found around Ryotsu Port, but Mazda also operates one at Ogi Port. Road conditions are generally good along the major roads.
There are no trains on Sado. Instead, the island is covered by a dense network of bus lines. Unfortunately, service along most of the bus lines is infrequent and slow. The map below shows some of the major bus lines on Sado:
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